In this image by NASA, the full moon is seen as it rises near the Lincoln Memorial, Saturday evening in Washington. The full moon tonight is called a "Super Perigee Moon" since it is at it's closest to Earth in 2011. (AP Photo/NASA - Bill Ingalls)

'Super Moon' Lights Sky

It may have been only an optical illusion, but what a sight. The biggest and brightest full moon of the year arrived Saturday night and glowed around the world.

In Brazil it illuminated the landmark Christ the Redeemer statue and later set behind a shanty town. In Florida, fishermen worked their lines amid the moonlight in Bal Harbour. And near Athens, tourists watched as the moon rose behind the Temple of Poseidon.

The moon was the closest it will get to the Earth this year — and appeared 14 percent larger because of that. At its peak it was about 221,802 miles from Earth. That's about 15,300 miles closer than average.